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There’s been a number of contenders in the Battle Royale ring, andCall Of Duty Warzonehas arguably been one of the more successful ones. Though it goes under the name Warzone 2 now, it’s still the same game mode at its core but with significant updates since the initial launch.
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The battlefield itself has constantly changed over the years with regular updates and special seasonal events. It’s a constantly evolving landscape that continues to pull in big player numbers, but for those still watching from the outskirts asking if Call of Duty: Warzone worth it? Here’s what you need to know.
Review
When Warzone launched back in March 2020 it started strong and was popular right out of the gate, but over time it had its fair share of issues. Bugs and lag spikes were common as the servers struggled to handle 100 (now 150) players blasting each other apart. Our own George Foster noted that for a while it was sitting onmostly negative reviews on Steamdue to persistent issues that still haven’t been dealt such as server issues, balancing, hard crashes, and perceived negative backlash to the DMZ mode.
“Warzone 2.0? More like Warzone -2.0”
The issues with its longevity stem further asour own Ben Sledge showed concern about the loot system, describing the backpack management as tedious and that it was a significant backstep from its competitors like Apex Legends
“Apex Legends has the best running of any battle royale thanks to its smooth movement mechanics, and Warzone had the best looting. Had. Past tense.”
But it doesn’t stop there, the Community is already fairly aggravated with the devs' apparent lack of progress on updates. Though the sheer dearth of content that’s been added since launch does make up for it somewhat as there are plenty of different load-outs, customizations, and general options for tweaking to make yourself into the perfect killing machine. Though that’s only when the server gods deem it.
Our own review of the game’s current statewas undertaken by Harry Alston, who also expressed concern over the poor performance. Though the introduction of vehicles spiced things up and the general onboarding for new players and old COD hands looking for something new has never been easier, there’s still a fair share of hiccups here and there.
Out of all the other Battle Royales, Warzone is arguably the easiest when it comes to its pick-up-and-play approach as there are not a lot of moving parts or extra mechanics to think about. Just grab your gun and go. Overall, despite its shortcomings, Call Of Duty: Warzone is still popular, and it manages to pull off a satisfying gameplay loop that’s a fun time-killer when playing solo and even more enjoyable when you rope a few friends in. But only when the game is behaving itself.
How Long To Beat
Since Call of Duty: Warzone is a primarily multiplayer game there’s no end goal to get to other than surviving to the finale of a round by being the last soldier standing. So your length of enjoyment is going to depend heavily on how well you play in a match.
It could be the full 30 minutes if you manage to make it to the end, or just a few seconds if you’re unlucky enough to get clipped by another player before you can even hit the ground after dropping out of the airplane at the start of a round.
In general,matches run a maximum of 20 to 30 minutes, and to keep things chaotic the placement of the shrinking zone is completely random. Depending on where you drop, it could be five to ten minutes or more before you even see another person. Or, if you dive into a busy area, it’ll be constant firefights.
This adds a lot to the game’s replayability, as no two rounds will ever go down the same as the roster is always different. DMZ also varies on its runtime as the session only ends if you die or get out alive, though getting cut down means you lose all your gear, so your enjoyment is going to depend on how much you like tough extraction games.
Add to this the regular seasonal updates to the map, the easter eggs, new guns, and enhancements to the base game like swimming and the battle pass that regularly dishes out tons of premium gear to grind for if you feel like tossing Activision a few bucks. So there’s plenty to keep you occupied for hours.
Cost
One of the biggest selling points of Call of Duty: Warzone is that it’s free to play. As long as you have an Xbox, Playstation, or PC that can handle it, you’re able to play it. Though it comes hard-baked into the retail copy of Modern Warfares multiplayer mode, it’s a stand-alone download so you can just get to the big player filled mosh pit if you don’t have any interest in the other modes.
The only point of premium content comes in the form of a Battle Pass and Operators. These are essentially skins for your soldier and a big pile of extra guns, sprays, and other cosmetics to let you jazz up your merc for hire some more. There are arguments to be made about the Battlepass system, but at least here they’re purely optional, and they rotate out frequently. So if you’ve got money to burn, you’ll at least have plenty of options.
What People Are Saying
Can’t Recommend This Currently - Charles Burgar
BR games are tough to play as a solo player, and Warzone 2.0 is no exception. Its focus on late-game load-outs and slower movement really encourages playing with others and making alliances through voice chat. Making alliances and taunting other players through VOIP is a great fit for Warzone and has led to some amazing moments. It’s also led to some of the most toxic, downright disgusting interactions I’ve experienced in years.
Unfortunately, that’s really all Warzone 2.0 has going for it. Take away VOIP, and you’re left with a BR experience that’s mostly inferior to Warzone 1.0 (now called Caldera). The movement changes and economy adjustments lead to a much slower game, one that biases camping more than the fast-paced gunfights seen in previous years. If you have some friends and are willing to take a gamble on the CoD community not being toxic, there is some fun to be had here. If you’re looking for a new BR game to main, I just can’t recommend this. Warzone 2.0 strays too far from what made the original Warzone great.
The Best It’s Been - Chris Hinton
Warzone 2.0 manages to continually kick the Battle Royale Call of Duty experience into high gear. Resurgence was once a welcome shake-up to the Warzone Battle Royale formula enabling players to have easier opportunities to jump back into the fray. It managed to accelerate the pacing and action of traditional Battle Royale. With the return of Resurgence to Warzone 2.0 and the more individual missions inside the DMZ, Warzone is currently the best it has ever been.
